Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars (with the title later expanded to include the phrase Episode IV: A New Hope) is a 1977 epic space opera film written directed by George Lucas. It is the first installment in the Star Wars series. The film stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing and Sir Alec Guiness. In the film, a group of freedom fighters known as the Rebel Alliance plot to destroy the powerful Death Star space station, a devastating weapon created by the evil Galactic Empire. This conflict disrupts the life of farmboy Luke Skywalker when he inadvertently acquires the droids carrying the stolen plans for the Death Star. After the Empire begins a cruel and destructive search for the droids, Skywalker decides to accompany Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi on a daring mission to rescue the owner of the droids, rebel leader Princess Leia, and save the galaxy. George Lucas approached Alan Ladd, Jr. with the script after United Artists had rejected it, and the film was planned to be released and financed through 20th Century Fox. During this time, the script went under numerous changes, and Lucas founded Industrial Light & Magic to create the visual effects for the film. Filming began on March 22, 1976. The movie was shot in various locations in Tunisia, England and Guatemala. During production, Lucas and the crew encountered numerous problems such as weather problems, malfunctioning equipment, as well as budgetary concerns. Eventually, Lucas, along with producer Gary Kurtz and production supervisor Robert Watts, split the crew into three units to meet the studio's deadlines. Star Wars was released theatrically in the United States on May 25, 1977. The film earned $460 million worldwide in the US and $314 million overseas, surpassing Jaws as the highest-grossing film of all time (unadjusted for inflation). It remained that way until being surpassed by E.T. the Extra Terrestrial in 1983. When adjusted for inflation, it is the second-highest-grossing film in the US and Canada (after Gone With the Wind) http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm and is the third highest-grossing film in the world as of 2013. The film was followed by two sequels, The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983). A prequel trilogy was released between 1999 and 2005, and a sequel trilogy is planned for release by Disney, after acquiring Lucasfilm for $40.5 Billion in 2013. The first installment is to be called ''Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, ''and is scheduled to be released on on December 18, 2015. Plot The galaxy is in a Civil War and spies for the Rebel Alliance have stolen plans To the Galactic Empire's Death Star, a heavily armored space station capable of destroying an entire planet. Rebel leader Princess Leia is in possession of the plans, but her ship, Tantive IV is captured by Imperial Forces under the command of the evil sith lord, Darth Vader. Before she is captured Leia hides the plans in the memory of an astromech droid called R2-D2, along with a holographic recording. R2 unlocks a hatch door to an escape decoy to the surface of the desert planet Tatooine with his fellow protocol droid, C-3PO. Back on Tantive IV, Princess Leia is captured by Imperial stormtroopers and Darth Vader asks her where the stolen plans are. She claims she doesn't know and is taken away. Vader then orders taxmen to Tatooine to find the stolen plans. After the decoy pod crashes on the desert planet, C-3PO splits up from R2-D2 because of the message in his system and is captured by jawas, nomadic clans who collect and sell droids. R2 is lost in a canyon, visibly frightened by the glowing eyes of the jawas, who incapacitate him and take him to a sandcrawler were he and 3PO. Meanwhile, Commander Praji has sent a squad of sandtroopers to investigate the escape pod as one finds tracks and a ring indicating signs of the droids. Meanwhile, the Jawa sandcrawler is making its way out of the dune sea towards the Moisture farm of Owen and Beru Lars. C-3PO reactivates R2-D2 as the Jawas call the droids to the ramp. Owen Lars's nephew, Luke Skywalker approaches him to help purchase one. As he passes numerous droids, he asks 3PO if he is capable of etiquette and protocol. He replies yes and is sold with R2-D5, a red version of R2 and blows his motivator so he is forced to purchase R2-R2 instead. As Luke cleans them 3PO tells him of their adventures and wishes to join the Rebellion in their struggle against the Empire. As he cleans R2-D2, he displays the message intended for Obi-Wan Kenobi. Owen tells Luke to take the droids to Anchorhead and erase the memory. After their evening meal, Luke goes outside to watch the Binary Sunset before finding a frantic C-3PO and informs him that R2 left determined to deliver the message to Obi-Wan. He wishes to locate him but can't due to the Sandpeople. In the morning, Owen yells for Luke and is told by Beru that "He said he had some things to do before he started today, so he left early". Luke and 3PO search for R2 in the landspeeder before Tusken Raiders target him. As they attack him, a mysterious figure cries out scaring them away. The figure reveals himself to be Obi-Wan Kenobi, who is rumored to be a hermit but was actually watching over him shortly after his birth. They locate C-3PO and take him back to his hut in the Dune Sea and explains facts about his father and a mystical energy-field called the force by the Jedi, galactic peacekeepers that were destroyed by the Empire. He then gives him his lightsaber and views the message and persuades Luke to come with him to Alderaan but refuses but Obi-Wan convnves him to learn about the force and agrees to take him as far as Anchorhead and tells him, "You must do as you feel is right of course". Meanwhile, an Imperial Star Destroyer approaches the first Death Star Where Grand Moff Willhuff Tarkin and Imperial strategists are having a conference whereas one boasts about until the battle station is fully operational it is still vulnerable and that the Rebel Alliance is too well equipped and more dangerous. Just then, Tarkin enters the room a informs them that the Emporer has dissolved the council permanently and fear will keep the local systems in line with the presence of the Death Star. Section heading Write the second section of your page here.